Address-printing machine



March 27, 1934. J. KRELL ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINE Filed June so, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor:

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OOO OOQ -March 27, 1934. J. KRELL ADDRESS PRINTING MACHIN Filed Jfine 30, 1932 3'Sheets-Sh8et 2 March 27, 1934. J. KRELL ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINE Filed June 30, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES I ADDRESS-PRINTING momma Joseph Krell, Berlin-Zehlendorf, Germany Application June 30, 1932, Serial No. 620,206 In Germany July 4, 1931 11 Claims.

My invention relatesto address-printing machines, and more particularly to machines in which printing plates are fed past a printing station and selectively printed and skipped, as required.

Selective printing was efiected heretofore by the printing plates themselves which were equipped with means such as projections, holes, or riders, for regulating the machine for printing or skipping. The plates control a circuit which is prepared by a hand switch or by a normally perforated, control card.

Such a machine has several drawbacks. It requires complicated multiple switches which are controlled by the printing plates and have to be arranged in a limited space. The number of controlling means such as projections, etc., which may be placed on a printing plate, is also very,

limited, with correspondingly restricted possibilities of subdividing the printing plates into groups,

unless very complicated switching means are provided.

It has also been proposed to provide an address-printing machine with a selector for the plates to be printed, with a circular or stripshaped control card having a number of controlling positions in succession, and scanning means cooperating with the card for selecting the printing plates in conformity with the sequence in which they move through the machine. This old selector, however, permits the printing of a group of plates only as they move through the machine,

i. e., the printing plates are subdivided into plates to be printed and plates to be skipped.

It is an object of my invention to so design a machine of the type referred to that controlling means on the printing plates themselves are dispensed with and the adaptability of the machine is increased.

To this end, in combination with printing and operating means, a set of printing plates and means for feeding theplates past the printing means: so that theyv are printed at a. printing station, "Iprovide a set of control cards, one'card per printingplate. Thecontrol cards are adapted to be provided with controlling means at various points. Normally they are of card board and perforated in various places. They are fed past a selector in "time with the printing plates. The selectoris equipped with scanning means, normally contacts adapted toenter the perforations in the cards, which, while being controlled by the cards, in turn control the means for operating the printing means for printing or skipping the plates presented at the printing station.

By suitably selecting or cutting in the scanning means or contacts at the selector, it is possible to print simultaneously various groups of printing plates, and in particular, to subdivide the printing plates into many groups as the control cards may be equippedwith controlling means, for instance, perforated, at many points. I

My machine, consequently, compares favorably with the machine in which the controlling means are arranged on the printing plates themselves, because it dispenses with its complication, and with the machine having the selector, because it is more adaptable.

- It will be understood that it is an important feature of my machine that it has a control card per printing plate fed through the machine and that the controlling means, such as perforations in a card of card board, projections or the like, are on the cards and not on the printing plates. The control cards and the printing plates, when not in use, are piled in the same sequence, exactly as in a card file. In operation, the plates and cards are placed in supply hoppers and fed through the machine step by step, whereupon they are collected in suitable boxes or the like.

The control cards may be used not only for controlling the machine but also for registration, like a card file, which may be useful under certain conditions.

-.The selector of my novel machine is extremely simple while affording a wide range of subdivision possibilities and the possibility of selecting. the printing plates as desired. For instance, the

scanning means at the selector may be so designed that any number of them can be connected in series and only those plates will be printed which belong to all groups the controlling means of which on the cards correspond to the contacts connected in series. I

I may provide several sets of control cards for one set of printing plates, and subdivide the individual sets in various ways. This possibility is another important advantage of my invention as the'printing plates, if equipped with controlling I means as in the old machine referred to, can be subdivided in one way only. I 1

My machine may be so designed that either the printing plates fed through themachine and selected by the scanning means at the selector,

are printed and the other plates are skipped, or, conversely, the selected plates are skipped and the other plates are printed I may equip my machine with means for surveying the movement of the printing plates in time with the cards. I

In the accompanying drawings, a machine embodying my invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustration, partly broken open, of a machine whose scanning means are electrically connected in parallel,

Fig. 2 is a diagram of a system in which the scanning means can be connected in parallel and in series,

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sections on the corresponding lines in Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a diagram of a system for surveying the synchronous movement of the plates and cards,

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a control member, and

Fig. 8 shows a control card.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to Fig. 1, the table 2 of the machine is mounted on a frame 1. In the example illustrated, the printing plates 8 are piled in a hopper 3 in the usual manner. 4 is a track for the printing plates in the table 2, 5 is a slide or pusher for moving the plates along the track, and 7 is a member forming part of the driving mechanism of the machine, which is connected to the pusher 5 by a 1ink'6. 9 is the printing station. 10 is a printing arm which is mounted to rock about a pin 100, 13 is its head, and 11 isthe printing platen which is mounted to slide in the head. Any suitable means may be provided for driving the machine. By Way of example, a motor 200 is shown in Fig. 1 which, through a belt or cord 201, drives a pulley 202. The pulley 202 is of larger diameter than the pulley on the motor shaft, so that the speed of the motor is reduced. A rod 203 connects the pulley 202 to a tail 204 of the printing arm 10. Rotation of the pulley'202 is transformed into rocking movement of the printing arm.

A rod 205 connects the tail 204 to a disk 206 on the boss of the member 7. The disk and the member are mounted to oscillate about a pivot 207 which is mounted below the table 2. The rocking movement of the tail 204 is translated into oscillation of the disk 206 and the member 7 about the pivot 207, and into reciprocation of the slide or pusher 5, through link 6. The arrows at the sides of the pusher 5 and the rod 205 indicate the forward or feeding movement of the parts. Their retrieve movement occurs in opposide direction.

.A' double-armed lever 16 is mounted to rock freely about the pin 100 of the printing arm 10.

plate equipped as a The rocking arm 16 cooperates with an electromagnet 14 below the table 2 for controlling the printing platen 11 in the head 13 of the printing arm 10. A lever 102 is fulcrui'ned on the head 13 and connected to the upper. end of the rocking lever '16 by a link 101. The lever 102 operates a cam (not shown) in the head 13 by which the platen 11 is advanced and retracted in time with the rocking movement of the lever 102. This operation is described in detail in my prior patent of the United States, 1,700,803, February 5, 1929, for Addressing machine and similar printing machine. If a plate is to be printed the platen 11 is advanced and-if a plate is to be skipped the platen is left in its retracted position. When the electromagnet 14 is not excited its armature 15 is clear of the lower end of the rocking lever 16 and the rocking lever 16 moves withthe printing arm-10 as a single-unit. As there is no relative movement of the rocking lever 16 and the printing arm 10, the lever 102 is not operated and the platen 11 remains in its inactive position. When the electromagnet 14 is excited, it attracts its armature 15 which now moves into the path of the lower end of the rocking lever 16 and interferes with its movement in unison with the printing arm 10. The relativemovement of the rocking lever and the printing arm results in operation of the lever 102 which moves the platen 11 into printing position.

The magnet14 is excited by means to be described, as often as a printing plate 8 which is to be printed, is at the printing station. Plates not to be printed are skipped by non-excitation of the magnet 14. Means, not shown, may be provided for repeated printing ofa given plate at the printing station 9 by interrupting the feed of the printing plates through the pusher 5.

A is the selector by which the plates to be printed are selected as they are fed through the machine. It has a hopper 17 which may be designed like the plate hopper 3 but serves for the reception of control cards 18. One of the cards which may be of card board and, if desired, may beqa card for a card file, is shown in Fig. 8. It has a. field for the name of the addressee and two rows of marks 19 by which the controlling means are located. Any suitable type of controlling means may be used. In the example illustrated, the controlling means are holes 20 through any one of the marks 19, two holes 20 being shown in Fig. 8. Two holes are made beceause the addressee belongs to two groups of professions, being a medical practitioner and a dentist. The printing plate to which the card 'is allotted, must be printed when all practitioners and dentists are to receive letters but also when all persons, who are either practitioners or dentists, are to receive letters. The mark at 21 is reserved for a hole which serves for surveying the coordination of the plates and cards. I

23 is a track for the cards in the hopper 17 along which the cards are displaced step-by-step through the medium of a pusher 22. 41 is a link which connects the pusher'22 to the member 7, being pivoted to a lug 38 which projects downwards from the pusher. By these means, the cards are fed in time with the plates. B is the scanning device past which the cards move along the track 23, and 24 is an opening at the inner end of the track through which the cards are dropped into a box or the like, not shown.

The scanning device has a plate 25 of conducting material below, and a plate 28 of insulating material above, the track 23. The insulating plate 28 has as many holes as there are marks .are inserted in the corresponding holes of plate 28, and a third or surveying contact62 is inserted in the hole which corresponds to the hole 21 in the card. The cards are scanned by the contacts 27 as they move past the scanning device, by the brushes at the lower ends of the contacts penetrating through the holes in the card and making contact with plate 25 forclosing the circuit of the magnet 14, as will now be described.

29 is a switchboard on the table ,2, of conducting material, which has as many holes as the plate 28, and the contacts are equipped with plugs 50 which are inserted in the'holes oi. the switchboard. 30 is a lead from the terminal of a battery103, Fig. 2, to the switch board,

31 is a lead from plate 25 to the coil of magnet 14, and 32 is a lead from the coil to the fixed contact 33 of a switch 36 which is fulcrumed in Fig. 1.

The spring 37 holds the switch 36 normally open. The switch is closed by the lug38 on the pusher 22 through the medium ,of a catch 39 at the lower end of the lug which is free to oscillate about its pivot only in thedirection 40,

so that it does not entrain the switch 36 when moving in the direction 42, but engages behind a step 36 of the switch in the opposite direction.

With the machine illustrated, the printing plates of one group, or several groups, may be so selected as they move through the machine, that the selected plates are printed; Assume that the plates of two groups, and the plates belonging to two groups together, as in the case of a medical practitioner who also is a dentist, are to be printed. Two contacts 27 are inserted in the corresponding holes of the plate 28 and connected .tothe switch board 29 by their plugs 50. The

contact 62 is also inserted in the position corresponding to hole 21. The machine is now started and the plates 8 and control cards 13 move through the machine in an exactly similar manner, their pushers 5 and 22 being connected to the same driving member 7. As often as the printing arm performs its upstroke, a printing plate arrives at the printing station, and the allotted control card arrives at the scanning device B. If this card is without perforations or other controlling means in line with the contacts 27, the contacts are held away from the plate 25 by the card, the circuit of magnet 14 is not prepared, the magnet is not excited, the

lever 16 moves clear of the armature 15, and

the plate at the station 9 is not printed.

- If the card has a hole, or two holes, in line with one or two of the contacts 27, the circuit of mag net 14 is prepared by the contact, or contacts, bearing on the plate 25. It will be understood that the switch 36 is closed as often as the pusher 22 performs its return stroke, against arrow 42, the catch 39 engaging behind the step 36' and forcing down the switch against the spring 37. This occurs in time with the downstroke of the printing arm. The circuit of the magnet 14 which was prepared by the contacts 27, 27, is now completed by the switch 36, and the plate 8 which is allotted to the control card 18, is printed.

Any number of contacts 27 maybe inserted in the plate 28, instead of two as shown, and connected to the switch board. 29 by their plugs 50, and all plates 8 will be printed which belong to not less than one of the'selected groups. Contacts might also be inserted in all holes of plate 28, but still only those contacts are cut into the circuit of magnet 14 which are selected by the card.

rupts a circuit normally connected to the magnetwhen the circuit 30, 31, 32, 35 is closed by not less than one brush contact 27 and the switch 33,

482, and 49a: isconnected to a free hole in plate Instead of a fixed plate 28 for the contacts 27,

I might provide a plate 29 which isreciprocated by the driving mechanism of the machine so that the circuit of magnet 14 is only closed when the plate 29 descends in time with the downstroke of the printing arm 10.' This arrangement (not shown) dispenses with the switch 36.

In the machine Fig. -1, the contacts 27 are connected in parallel only. Fig.2 shows a sys- 1 tem in which they may be connected in parallel and in series. The plate 28 for the reception of the contacts 27 is provided as described and made of insulating material, as best seen in Fig. 4. In this system, however, the plate 25'is not of conducting but also of insulating material, with contact plugs 43 and 61 for the respective contacts 27 and 62. Each plug is connected to a socket 44 in a switchboard 45 of insulating material, Fig. 5 which may be placed in any suitable position on the table 2 of the machine. 46 are plugs by which the several sockets may be connected as desired, and the contacts 27 may also be connected to the sockets 44 by their plugs 50. 47 is another switchboard, also of insulating material, as best seen in Fig. 3, which may also be arranged in a suitable position on the table 2 of the machine. It has as many pairs of sockets 48, 49 as there are contacts 27. The sockets of each pair are conductively connected, and the individual sockets may be connected to each other by plugs such as 57a, or the plugs 50 of the contacts 27 may be inserted in the sockets.

51 and 52 are connecting plates for the reception of plugs. The plate 51 is connected to the circuit 106 of the magnet 14, and the plate 52 is connected to the battery 103 in the circuit.

In the example illustrated, three contacts 27a, 27b and 27care inserted in the plate 28 and cooperate with the plugs 43a, 43b and 430, respectively, and the contact 62 is inserted for cooperation with the plug 61. The three contacts 27 are connected in'series, and only those plates 8 are printed which belong to all three groups represented by the contacts.

If there is a control card 18 at' the scanning device B which has holes for the three contacts 27a, 27b and 27c, the following circuits will be established:

Connecting plate 52, lead 53, socket 490. in switch board 47, socket 48a which is connected to socket 49a, lead 54 and contact 27a. The brush at the end of this contact engages the plug 43a in lead 58; and on through 270, 43c, lead 59, socket 440, lead 60, andv connecting plate 51. The contacts 27a, 27b and 270 are connected in seriesand the magnet 14 can only be excited if all three make contact...

In addition to the circuit illustrated, more circuits may be established at onev contact each, or at several contacts each in series. For instance, if, in addition to the'three groups represented by 27a, 27b, 27c, those plates are to be printed whose contact 27a; is opposite the plug 432:, one of the free holes in plate 51 is connected to socket 442:, the contact 27a: is connected to in the system just described, it is possible to connect the contacts 27 in parallel, as in the simpler system Fig. 1, so that all'printing plates are printed whose control cards have at least one of the holes 20 to be scanned by the contacts.

For surveying the coordination of printing plates and control cards, the system illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7may. be provided. The contact 62 is permanently arranged in line with the hole 21 in the card 18 and with a plug 61 in the plate 25 which, if the plate 25, as in Fig. 1, is of conducting material, must be insulated from it.

If, for instance, the coordination is surveyed for each tenthprinting plate, i. e., it is ascertained whether, when the tenth plate 8 is at the printing station 9, the tenth card 18 is at the scanning device B, each tenth plate 8' is equipped asla controlling member, with a rider or tab 63, preferably near one of its ends.

At the point where the rider or tab 63 is positioned when the plate 8 is at the printing station 9, I provide an oscillatingcatch 64, 'with a pullback spring 65. 66 is a link which is fulcrumed to a tail portion 104 of the printing arm 10 at one end and at its other end hasa slotted eye 67 engaging a pin 68 on .the catch .64. The spring is anchored on the link;

69 'is a contact spring which is secured to, and insulated from, the catch 64 and connectedto the terminaliof battery 103 by a wire '70. Its fixed contact 71 is connected to the coil of an electromagnet 73 by a lead 72, and the coil is connected to the terminal by a lead74, 75. 76 is an electromagnet which is arranged opposite 73 and whose coil is connected to the lad by a lead 77, and to the c'ontact'62 bya lead 78. The plug 61 is connected to the terminal by lead 79.

' 80 is the armature of the two electromagnets 73 and 76 which is connected to lead 75 at its inner end. 81 and 82.are contacts at opposite sides of the outer end of armature 80 which is shownin its neutral position. The contacts 81, 82 are connected to a lead 83 which in turn is connected to the coil of an electromagnet 84.

The coil is connected to the terminal by a lead 85, and the electromagnet 84 is excited when either the contact 81 or the contact 82 is con-'- nected to the terminal by the armature 80. 93 is the armature of the electromagnet 84 which is connected to the lead 85 at its inner end, with its outer end cooperating with a contact 93. The contact is in the circuit 87-89 of an electromagnet 89 on the tail portion 104 of the printing arm '10 whose armature is a hook 90 fulcrumed to an extension 107 of the printing arm. The hook normally assumes the position shown in dot-and-dash lines under the action of gravity,

or a spring, not shown, in which it engages arocking lever 91. '92 .is a rod connecting the rocking lever to means (not shown) for arresting the machine.

While there is neither a printing plate 8' with a tab 63 at the printing station 9, nor a control card'with a hole 21 at the scanning device B,

the electromagnets 73, 76 are de-energized during the downstroke of the printing arm 10, the rod 66 and the spring 65 entraining the catch 64 in the direction 86, and the spring 69 leavingthe contact 71. The circuft of 73 is interrupted at 71, and that of 76 between 61 and 62 by the imperiorate card 18. The armature 80 assumes its neutral position, so that 84 is also de-energized.

I If a card 18 with a hole 21 crimes at the scanning device B and at the same time aprinting '75 plate 8' with a tab 68 arrives at the printing station 9, the tab 63 locks the catch 64 against moving in the direction 86 from the position 1mparted to it by the printing arm on its preceding downstroke, the catch being applied to the tab 63 by the spring 65. The contact 71 is closed by the spring 69 and 73 is energized. At the samev time, however, 76 is energized by the contact 62 engaging the plug 61 through hole 21. As 78 and 76 act in opposite directions, the armature 80 remains in itsneutral position and 84 is not energized. Nothing happens if the printing plate 8 and the card 18 are properly coordinated.

If theyare not,'i. e., if at a given time a printing plate 8' with a tab 63 is at the printing station, but the corresponding card 18 with its hole 21 is not at the scanning device B, only one of the circuits of 73 and 76 is closed and only one of the magnets is energized, exciting 84 either through contact 81 or 82. The magnet 84 may emit an optical or acoustic signal for warning the operator or it may arrest the machine by the means illustrated.

.When 84 is energized it opens the contact 93 and interrupts thecircuit of electromagnet 89 which normally holds the hook 90 away from the lever 91, full lines. The hook now moves into the dot-and-dash lines position by gravity or spring action, entrains the lever 91 and arrests the machine through rod 92.

I claim:

1. In a printing machine, printing means, mechanism for operating sad means, a set of printing plates, means operatively connected to said mechanism for feeding the plates past the printing means, a control card allotted to each plate, controlling means on each card, a scanning device hav' g scanning means adapted to be controlled y the cards and in .turn to control the operating mechan'sm, a circuit connected to the means in'said device, a switch operatively connected to said mechanism for controlling said circuit, and means for feeding the cards past the device in time with the printing plates.

2. In a printing machine, printing means, mechanism for operating said means, a set of printing plates, means operatively connected to said mechanism for feeding the plates past the printing means, a control card allotted to each plate, controlling means and marks for locating the controlling means on each card, a scanning device having scanning means adapted to be controlled by the cards and in turn to control the operating mechanism, a circuit connected to the I means in said device, a switch operatively connected to said mechanism for controlling said circuit, and means for feeding the cards past the devlce in time with the printing plates.

8. In a printing machine, printing means, mechanism for operating said means, a set of printing plates, means operatively connected to said mechanism for feeding the plates past the print'ng means, a control card allotted to each plate, controlling means on each card, a scanning device having scanning means which are placed in conformity with the controlling means on the cards and are adapted to be controlled by the cards and in turn to control the operating means, and means for feeding the cards past the device in time with the printing plates.

4. In a printing machine, printing means, mechanism for operating said means, a set of printing plates, means operatively connected to ning device having scanning means which are means, a support at the opposite side of said card-' adapted to be controlled by the cards and in turn to control the operating mechanism, and means for electrically connecting said scanning means in parallel; and means for feeding the cards past the device in time with the printing plates.

5./ In a printing machine, printing means mechanism for operating said means, a set of printing plates, means operatively connected to said mechanism {or feedng the plates past said printing means, a control card allotted to each plate, controlling means on each card, a scanning device having scanning means which are the perforated cards so as 'to i of the electromagnet, means for feeding the cards past the device in time with the printing plates,

adapted to be controlled by the cards and-in turn to control the operating mechanism, and means for electrically connecting said scanning means in parallel and in series; and means for feeding the cards past the devce in time with the printing plates.

6. In a printing machine, a printing arm, mechanism for operating said arm, a printing platen on said arm, means including an electromagnet for moving said platen into active position, a set ofprinting plates, means operatively connected to said mechanism for feeding the plates past the arm, a control card allotted to each plate. controlling means on each card, a scanning device having scanning means which are adapted to be controlled by the cards and to prepare the circuit of the electromagnet, means for feeding the cards past the device in time with the printing plates. and a switch operatively connected to said mechanism for closing the circuit upon the retrieving stroke of said feeding means.- P

'7. In a printing machine, a printing arm, mechanism for operating said arm, a printing platen on said arm, means including an electromagnet for moving said platen into active position, a set of printing plates, means operatively connected to said mechanism for feeding the plates past the arm, a perforated control card allotted to each plate, a scanning device having a plate connected to the circuit of said electromagnet and arranged at one side of said cardfeeding means, a support at the opposite side of said card-feeding means, contacts in said support which are connected to a source of current in the circuit of the electromagnet and adapted to make contact with said plate through the holes in prepare the circuit and a switch operatively connected to said mechanism for closing the circuit upon the retrieving stroke of said feeding means.

8. In a .printing machine, a printing arm, mechanism, for operating said arm, a printing platen on said arm, means including an electromagnet for moving said platen into active position, a set of printing plates, means operatively connected to said mechanism for feeding the plates past the arm, a perforated control card allotted to each plate, a scanning device having a plate arranged at one side of said card-feeding feeding means, contacts in said support which are connected to a source of current in the circuit of the electromagnet, an insulated contact plug per contact in said plate with which plugs the contacts engage through the holes in the perforated cards, a switch board having sockets connected to the circuit of said electromagnet and to said plugs, and means for short-circuiting said sockets; means for feeding the cards past the device in time with the printing plates, and a switch operatively connected to said mechanism for closing the circuit prepared by said contacts and plugs, upon the retrieving stroke of said feeding means.

9. In a printing machine, printing means, mechanism for operating said means, a set of printing plates, means operatively connected to said mechanism for feeding the plates past the printing means, a control card allotted to each plate, controlling means on each card, a scanning devicehaving scanning means which are adapted to be controlled by the cards and in turn to control the operating mechanism, means for feeding the cards past the device in time with the printing plates, and means for testing the coordination between said printing plates and said cards.

10. In a printing machine, printing means,

mechanism for operating said means, a set of printing. plates, means operatively connected to said mechanism for feeding the plates past the printing means, a control card allotted to each plate, controlling means on each card, a scanning device having scanning means which are adapted to be controlled by the cards and in turn to control the operating mechanism, means for feeding the cards past the device in time with the printing plates, tabs on certain printing plates, and means adapted to be operated by said tabs and the controlling means on the cards so as to test the coordination between said printing plates and said cards.

11. In a printing machine, printing means, mechanism for operating said means, a set of printing plates, means operatively connected to said mechanism for feeding the plates past the printingmeans, a control card allotted to each plate, controlling means on each card, a scanning device having scanning means which are adapted to be controlled by the cards and in turn to control the operating mechanism-means for feeding the cards past the device in time with the printing plates, a pair of opposite electromagnets, one of which is in a circuit controlled by the scanning to be closed bysaid armature when it moves, an

electromagnet in said circuit, and means for testing the coordination between said printing plates and said cards adapted to be operated by said last-mentioned electromagnet.

JOSEPH KIRELL. 

